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Thursday, August 31, 2017

Althea has come so far in just 2 years! Craaaazyyy!!! In the span of 2 years they have revolutionized and streamlined and improved forever and ever and ever the way Southeast Asians shop for K-Beauty products. Remember when we used to suffer with all our K-Beauty purchases in the customs office? Those days are long gone. And going beyond that, they went from just Southeast Asia to delivering products worldwide in less than 2 years! And then remember when they did the app? Who would've thought they'd be able to make shopping even more irresistible? Althea really always is looking for new mountains to climb.

And now, this August, they are proud to unveil their newest baby, their own brand! And the first release is their Petal Velvet Powder. I am looking forward to a future of Althea eyeshadows, lip tints, BB cushions and like everything else. But today, let's review the powder first! BTW, get Php200 off Althea if it's your first time by clicking on this link! And yes, if you were wondering, everything on the flatlay above can be purchased from Althea.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

For those who are looking for a new light hearted place to relax at, come on down to Uptown Mall BGC to Kushikatsu Daruma! As for the very lengthy restaurant name that is already a tongue twister on its own, kushikatsu is actually a Japanese delicacy referring to deep-fried skewered meat and

vegetables. Kushikatsu Daruma is an iconic restaurant in the famous Dotonburi area of

Osaka that serves the best kushikatsu in Japan.

The brand came to Manila in March this year, and since then, it's been a bastion of family fun and comfort after a long and tiring day. Kushikatsu Daruma carries a more pub/tavern equity in Japan, but here, it's more restaurant-ey to me. But regardless of whether people think it's a tavern with good food, or a restaurant with good drinks, it's a place full of hearty foods and great drinks, all to comfort tired and weary souls.

The team was excited to invite members of the press and media on a laid back Thursday afternoon to highlight their rice bowls and reveal their Happy Hour promotions. From Mondays through Fridays at 4PM to 9PM, Kushikatsu Daruma is offering their San Miguel Light and San Miguel Pale Pilsen beers at just P50 (from P65), while their Chu Hais are Buy 1 Take 1, so two will only cost P280! Favorites include Lychee, Kiwi, and Mango Blackberry.

Monday, August 28, 2017

2017 is a reallyyyy, reaaaaallyyyy, reaaaaallyyyyyyy big year for Canon! This year marks 20 years in the Philippine market. And this year marks the 30th anniversary since the launch of their EOS lines. I'm already so sentimental and all because I'm an EOS girl through and through. Weeeelll the first Canon camera I got to access was an IXUS, then a G10, then an S95, but the EOS series is where I really learned photography, the series I shared the journey with.

Aaand of course, Canon is celebrating 80 years!!! 80 years!!!

As I've shared in many other posts, we are a Canon family. All the cameras my mom consciously bought were Canon cameras. My mom was a major Canon addict. She shares many fond memories of her Canon cameras as she competed in many competitions using Canon. The addiction simply just ran in the family, and I can never imagine myself using any brand that's not Canon.

Monday, August 28, 2017

It's a different feeling in real life!!! Y'all know how long I've been worshipping Liza. I long know she looks like a doll. But today was the first time I ever saw Quen, and literally, he's like a Ken doll!!! The two of them doing kilig challenges together makes it soooo surreal because of the chemistry, and partly because they look like dolls in real life.

Of course, getting this close as this photo (of which the circumstances on how it came to be I'll be explaining later in this post), is not possible without fresh breath. As Quen shared, it's sooooo embarrassing to go to taping and have the cameras rolling and all without being 10000% confident that you have fresh breath. CloseUp is all about giving fresher breath, so they need not worry about this! LizQuen can get as close as they (and all of us fans) want without any worries because they have fresh breath.

Last August 22, at 20:20, CloseUp was not only proud to be unveiling LizQuen to the press and a select group of fans as the newest faces of the brand. They were also proud of the fact that the new CloseUp is fresher than ever, for fresh breath that can last up 12 hours thanks to antibacterial mouthwash. The great tasting CloseUp now tastes even better that LizQuen loves it so much. And the improved formula also means they can up the ante with the challenges! This is their shrinking room challenge where they got to a room of which the walls were closing in on them, making them get suuuper close. The results are delightfully cute, as what any obsessed fan (like me haha) would expect!

Monday, August 28, 2017

No need to rush in achieving beautiful and whiter underarms if you can have it in a natural way with the new Silka Papaya Deodorant! Infused with Papaya Enzyme, Giga White, and Vitamin B3, it'll help prevent darkening of the underarms as well as protect your armpits from odor and sweat. Plus, it comes in a lotion form that leaves a non-greasy feel when applied to the skin! Get a 40mL full sized from Sample Room for 20 points (SRP 31.50/25mL and 41.75/40mL)!

Monday, August 28, 2017

Your Palmolive favorites are back in stock at Sample Room due to popular demand!!! I'm quite sure I've spoken about Palmolive before as it is among what can be touted as flagship brands of Sample Room. I got samples of the Intensive Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner set waaay back (I wasn't even an SR Insider yet), and I was able to discover for myself that it's soo good. The formula's strategy is to have a veeeery heavily nourishing conditioner and a light conditioner. Shampoo mostly gets washed off, while conditioner does coat your hair somehow. With this kind of combo, your hair gets nourished with the shampoo, but doesn't become oily because when you wash it off, it gets off. The light whipped conditioner just acts as a sealant to make sure the moisture stays in. The end result is hair that's bouncy, soft, but not heavy or gunky at any point throughout the day. Not to mention that Palmolive comes up with the best smelling shampoos among all the brands available in the Philippines! Palmolive is always the first choice if fragrant hair is your priority.

As for the body wash, gahhhhh, this is the best!!! Whenever I'm dead tired, not dead tired, happy, sad, scared, angry, or whatever, their White+Milk body wash gives me life! I'm an extreeeeme sucker for powdery and showery fresh fragrances, which is why this was such a godsend for me. I really look forward to using these everyday. To add, aside from the lovely fragrance, the body wash has a rich lather and leaves skin feeling moist and supple. I can especially tell as I recently switched from a non-hydrating brand. The difference is really apparent.

Palmolive Naturals White + Milk Soap’s formula is infused with 100% natural milk protein to helps nourish and reveal whiter skin in just 1 week*. You can get the bar soap and body wash bundled together for 40 points.

Palmolive Naturals White+Milk Products are available at the following sizes and prices:

Monday, August 28, 2017

Achieve beautiful and whiter skin without the dry, itchy, and stinging sensation with the new Belo Intensive Whitening Extra Moisture Bar! Its glycerin content deeply moisturizes dry and dull skin, restoring skin's firmness and elasticity. It's dermatologist-tested and proven to moisturize 42% better than regular Kojic soaps! You can get this from Sample Room for 45 points (for a 65g bar worth 64.75).

On this flatlay, I also included their leg BB Cream and their BB Cream. Y'all know from my Sample Room Dermatix post that I have quite a scar on my left knee, so the leg BB cream is highly appreciated! The Belo Body BB Cream can be availed for 100 points (SRP 399.75 for 100mL) and is already SPF 50. This is gonna be helpful for those outdoor engagements when you're in a short dress so you don't end up with unevenly colored legs after. The face BB Cream is not available at Sample Room for now. But for those who are fans of their Kojic Acid series, the Belo Intensive SPF30 Whitening Body Cream is still available for 70 points (SRP 199.77 for 150mL tube).

With Belo's Intensive Whitening Series and the new and improved Extra Moisture Bar, no more tiis! Ganda lang! ;) Ayieeeee!!!

Friday, August 25, 2017

Two very exciting updates for everyone! One, Shiseido The Collagen is officially here! Two, Anne Curtis is the face of Shiseido The Collagen!

Anne Curtis was definitely the best choice of endorser for this because she radiates an unexplainable energy that just draws you to her. She's sooo pretty, but hey, all other celebs are. What really sets her apart is her infectious personality, this invisible glow emanating from her aura.

Shiseido The Collagen is all about repairing broken tissues from within in order to fight acne and aging and pigmentation, to promote lightening and brightening of the skin, and to tighten and tone the pores. The end result is a holistic glow and aura.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Wewwww!!! This is the first ever phone review/evaluation/nagkakalat si Mari that I'm gonna do! I was privileged to have been given the chance to try out OPPO's F3 Selfie expert for myself. The commercials and out of home ads have always intrigued me because it's always about Sarah G. taking selfies. I mean like phones can do soooo much more than just selfies, so why just focus on that? Until I tried it myself. I saw for myself that plenty of the little things that make selfies a lil' hard for our vanity, OPPO has something to counteract the problem. I'm no tech blogger so I'll never be able to give a very technical breakdown of the products, but I'd like to speak of my personal experiences on using the phone.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Global electronics brand OPPO is driving the next
wave of the groufie revolution with the launch of its latest dual selfie camera
phone, the OPPO F3. For only P16,990, the newest member of the F3 Series family
will go on sale starting May 13 in the Philippines as well as in India,
Vietnam, Myanmar, and Indonesia.

“We at OPPO always strive to reinvent the mobile
experience, and the release of the F3 reflects our relentless passion for even
better smartphone photography,” OPPO
Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Stephen Cheng said. “Through our continued
innovation, we hope to cement our brand’s position as the leading camera phone
in the industry.”

OPPO’s recent focus on
creating the perfect groufie follows a growing trend in groufies especially
among younger users on social media: “Filipinos are known for our strong
relationships with family and friends,” Cheng explained. “With a phone like the
F3, it becomes easier for us to turn even ordinary events into special moments
with the people we love best.”

Perfect Groufies Anytime, Anywhere

Like its predecessor the F3 Plus, the OPPO F3 is
designed with a 16-megapixel selfie-focused main camera paired with a
sub-camera capable of capturing groufies through a larger field of view. This
wide-angle camera also inherits the earlier model’s distortion-minimizing
features to prevent image warping, while OPPO’s Beautify 4.0 photo editing
software ensures a fresh look with every snap.

Farewell to the Selfie Stick

Fitting an entire gang inside a single shot will no
longer be a struggle, and travel selfies won’t have to crop out the background
and look like they were done in the backyard.

With twice the size of a selfie camera’s field of
view, the secondary camera can easily include either a large group inside the
picture frame or the background during a memorable trip—all without a selfie
stick. This helps reduce the number of accessories needed for groufies and
travel selfies.

Superb Inside and Out

For added sleekness without compromising gripping
comfort, the OPPO F3 is crafted using exclusive U-rail spray technology that
allows the body frame width to go as thin as 2.0 millimeters—27 percent slimmer
than the F1s. The aluminum body has also undergone 220 fine zirconium
sandblasting treatments to achieve its polished, delicate look that appears
natural.

The screen is built with 5.5-inch 2.5D Corning
Gorilla Glass 5 with pre-applied protective coating for unmatched durability
and scratch-resistance. FHD in-cell technology further gives the phone display
crystal-clear visibility and vividness despite the glare of the sun on the
glass surface.

To fulfill the user’s need for speed, the OPPO F3’s
home-button fingerprint reader provides lightning-fast touch access in just 2.0
seconds—the fastest in the market.

Backing the OPPO F3’s advanced features is an
octo-core processor supported by 4GB of RAM and a 64GB ROM. A triple-slot tray
also accommodates two Nano 4G SIM cards and one micro SD card to expand memory
up to 128GB.

Even the rear camera offers high-quality
performance. Powered by PDAF technology, the back camera is capable of fast
focusing speeds to capture precious moments without causing any blurring.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

SHISEIDO The Collagen is finally here! And Anne Curtis is the super beautiful and glowing face of Shiseido The Collagen.

Shiseido The Collagen features a unique proprietary formula of the most powerful berries, vitamins and ingredients to bring out your most beautiful self, with the key ingredients being Lingonberry and Indian Gooseberry.

AMLA, Indian gooseberry is particularly known for its good effects on hair and skin. Here are a few benefits of Indian gooseberry:

1. Lightens the Complexion - through vitamin C and antioxidants

2. Anti-ageing Effects

3. Exfoliating and Cleansing Agent

4. Reduces Pigmentation - Amla is also known for reducing pigmentation.

5. Skin Brightener - Indian gooseberry has special brightening effect on the skin.

6. Treats Acne and Pimples -Indian gooseberry is an excellent anti-oxidant and blood purifier, so it fights off the micro-organisms under the skin, which causes most of the breakouts by infecting the skin.

7. Skin Toner and Tightener - Reduction in the skin collagen causes the skin to lose softness and firmness. Vitamin C increases the production of collagen cells in the skin; hence, it restores the soft and firm skin and prevents sagging.

8. Repairs Damaged Tissues - Due to the profusion of Vitamin C and anti-oxidants, Indian gooseberry has healing properties. So, it heals the damaged tissues quickly and assists in getting rid of dead, dry and scaly skin.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Cream
Silk, the country’s leader in hair care, unveils its biggest, and most
beautiful transformation yet with the launch of its new range of Customized
Solutions. Introducing its new formulation and look, the country’s local jewel
believes that with specialized variants that cater to Modern Filipinas’ hair
needs, everyone can have the #PowerToTransform.

With
more than 30 years of hair care expertise, Cream Silk has developed its most
effective formulation yet, keeping in mind the most common hair problems of
Filipinas. Now better than ever, the all-new range has Advanced Hair Reborn
Technology that repairs, strengthens, and replenishes hair from inside out. It
also contains nutrients that are essential to improve hair elasticity, moisture
retention, and flexibility. With this breakthrough formulation, Cream Silk is
able to detect even the smallest imperfections of one’s hair and caters to
areas it is needed the most.

Perfect
for every Filipina hair type, the new Cream Silk range consists of seven (7)
customized solutions, each with a specialized formulation to improve and
transform any hair to beyond beautiful. These are Standout Straight, Hair Fall
Defense, Damage Control, Stunning Shine, Dry Rescue, Dandruff-free, and its
newest variant: Color Protect.

Along
with its reformulation, Cream Silk’s transformation also translated its new look
as they now feature Cream Silk endorsers on the packs to further communicate
the persona of the new Modern Filipina. These are Heart Evangelista (Pink),
Coleen Garcia (Green), Nadine Lustre (Blue), Pia Wurtzbach (Gold), Yassi
Pressman (Orange), Julie Anne San Jose (Violet), and Rachelle Ann Go (Red).
With their own stories of transformation, these celebrities serve to epitomize
the Cream Silk woman, and to empower other Filipinas to believe that they, too,
can become the best they can be.

Through
this grand relaunch, Cream Silk remains committed to being a champion for the
empowerment of every Modern Filipina. “With the launch of Cream Silk’s All-New
Customized Solutions, we want to give Modern Filipinas the power to transform
their hair by providing them a full range of conditioners formulated for any
hair type. Cream Silk believes that having control over their hair enables
every Modern Filipina to have the #PowerToTransform”, said Dorothy Dee-Ching,
Unilever’s Marketing Director for Hair Care.

With
its all new range of Customized Solutions, Cream Silk aims to inspire women to
embark on their own journeys of transformation, starting with beyond beautiful
hair.

Wednesday, August 02, 2017

Manila, 2017 – Don’t let the season’s drizzle
dampen your look. Up your mood and intensify your look with the latest lip
collection from Maybelline New York Lip
Studio: Color Jolt Matte! The world’s no. 1 makeup brand shows how a jolt
of color in your favorite matte finish can make a world of difference for a
fiercer you.

Packed with 3x more pigments, Color Jolt Matte
allows you to get intense lip color in just a New York minute. With its flocked tip, achieve
precise application perfect even for the on-the-go Filipina. Apply a jolt of
color on your lips in two ways:

The Blogger

Mari is a random human who likes cats, makeup, and having an online playground. Doll Up Mari is the place where you, ehem, doll up Mari. This is a Pinay beauty blog run by a citizen living in the Philippines who is still looking for a less grand term than Pinay Beauty Guru to refer to herself.

Mari is still figuring out how to use a management degree while drowning in kitty fur and can work part time as a PR strategist aside from her meow-my duties.